The relationship between gambling and homelessness is complex—and it can run both ways. For some, gambling spirals into debt, broken relationships, and even the loss of a home. For others already experiencing homelessness, gambling can become a form of escapism from trauma and hardship. With casinos and betting shops often open 24 hours a day, these venues often double as a temporary refuge—a warm, safe space for those sleeping rough or struggling without stable housing.
In this new episode of the Going Beyond podcast, we speak to Steve Sharmen (Senior Research Fellow in at the National Addiction Centre, King's College London), Andy Lymer (Director of the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University) and Patrick Horgan (Consultant Psychiatrist, working for two NHS gambling services). We discuss why people might start gambling, and when this becomes harmful, the link between gambling and homelessness, and share ways that frontline workers can support people with a gambling addiction.
If you are interested in hearing more about the work the speakers have been doing in relation to gambling and homelessness, you can contact them via email:
- Steve: stephen.p.sharman@kcl.ac.uk - and for access to a gambling information sheet, screening tool and resource sheet for frontline workers, see this report
- Andy: cpfw@aston.ac.uk - and for further information about their gambling and tenancy loss project, visit this webpage
- Patrick: Inclusion.WMGHC@mpft.nhs.uk - and for more information about the West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic, visit their website.
Listen to the episode below, or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And make sure you check out the full back catalogue of Going Beyond podcasts.